


you hurt me for a reason, now let's not let go

by nunaseaweed



Series: one-shot trash [1]
Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, I'm Sorry, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:35:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26818912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nunaseaweed/pseuds/nunaseaweed
Summary: "I’m in a fountain again, (I don’t think many people would say that statement,) but there are a few differences from the last time I was in this situation. For one, I don’t have you, Isadora. There’s nothing to keep me from going insane this time. Except I won’t be here for long. That’s the other difference, I’m not coming back this time."Duncan's been gone for a while. But when Olaf captures the Baudelaire's, as well as the living Quagmire's, again, they discover they might've been wrong.
Relationships: Klaus Baudelaire/Isadora Quagmire, Violet Baudelaire/Duncan Quagmire
Series: one-shot trash [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956082
Kudos: 10





	you hurt me for a reason, now let's not let go

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters. I own the plot. If I owned A Series of Unfortunate Events, it would be all about Duncan.  
> Notes:  
> -I was reading @dylankingwellmoi's (on Wattpad) “A Lost Dunclet Love” and as soon as Duncan joined Olaf’s troupe, this scene came to mind. I kinda stole the Duncan joining Olaf thing so don’t come at me cuz I mentioned it.  
> -No one in Count Olaf’s troupe left except Fernald.  
> -You’ll notice when I write my ASoUE book that Duncan braiding Isladora’s hair is a headcanon that I love.

_ Dear siblings, and Baudalaires, _

_ I was walking home from the store when they got me. I knew it might have been a bad idea to take the shortcut through the forest. I didn’t realize I might have to pay so much for a simple mistake. Anyway, the nonbinary henchperson ambushed me, and tied my hands behind my back. The white-faced woman knocked me out. I don’t know how long it was before I woke up. I’m sorry you were looking for me during that period of time. Stop searching. _

_ I’m in a fountain again, (I don’t think many people would say that statement,) but there are a few differences from the last time I was in this situation. For one, I don’t have you, Isladora. There’s nothing to keep me from going insane this time. Except I won’t be here for long. That’s the other difference, I’m not coming back this time. _

_ Ah, the undesirable news that no one wants to hear. They thought I was you, Klaus, but I’m worthless now. Count Olaf’s going to kill me. I’m sorry, we only just found each other and now after nine short months, something like this happens. _

_ I don’t have a will and I don’t have time to write one now, I can hear Esmè’s saying she’ll check on me in twenty minutes. Isladora, I want you to decide where all of my belongings go. Make sure that each Baudalaire gets at least one thing. _

_ Here are my notes to you:  _

_ Stay strong, Quigley, don’t go back to being who you were before. Don’t go around breaking people’s hearts, especially Isladora’s friends. If you’re going to start a relationship, be serious about it. Don’t be a jerk. Be the best man you can be. I know he’s in there, I’ve seen it before. I love you, and I hope you find someone to love. P.S. I tried to teach you to braid hair but now you will feel the wrath of Isladora. _

_ Klaus, be good to my sister. Don’t act all surprised while reading this, you are an open book. Speaking of which, you should write some. You know more than enough and you’ve had so many experiences. Use them. You’ve got a great many stories to tell. I love you, my friend, and you should love her. P.S. Learn to braid hair. It’ll come in handy with all those sisters. _

_ Isladora, live. Don’t become the hollow shell you were when our parents died. You learned to be you again, so don’t fall back. You have Quigley this time. You still have a brother. You have a boyfriend (you two better start dating, honor one of my last wishes). You have a best friend and two little friends to help look after. I love you, so don’t give up. P.S. Don’t give Quigley a hard time about braiding your hair. Klaus can do it. _

_ Speaking of little ones, Beatrice, I wish you the best of luck. It’s a scary world out there, but you have the best of people to get you through it. Follow your passions. For a three-year-old, you are an amazing singer. Build on that, make it something you can pursue. I heard your namesake was also a good singer. I love you, even if you won’t remember me in your later years. P.S. Beatrice the first was also a bat trainer, just options. _

_ Now Sunny, having younger siblings can be tough. I would know, I’m technically the oldest. All triplet arguments aside, know that even if others get more attention, you’re surrounded by people who love you. Your siblings and mine will always love you. And Beatrice is going to need you. I love you, and I hope you’ll have some memories of me. P.S. Keep cooking! You’re great. _

_ Last but most definitely not least, Violet. I love you. I didn’t tell you when I had the chance. Another mistake I’ll pay for. I wanted us to be something great. I can’t say I’ve loved you since I first laid eyes on you, we both know love at first sight is a ruse. But It was there when Isladora and I were kidnapped. It was there when we were in the elevator. It was there when we were in the fountain, and when we flew away. It was there when we met again, and it’s still here now. It’s a feeling I will die with, and that’s more than okay. I’m just happy I let you know, even if it’s not in person. I wanted us to be perfect, but there’s no perfect. That much is clear. I love you, and I hoped you loved me, even if it’s just as friends. P.S. There’s nothing left to say. _

_ Notice you’ll get this on a bird, but it’s not a crow. I’m not in VFD so don’t come looking. I’ll most likely be dead by the time you all read this. I love all of you, more than you could know.  _

_ Love, _

_ Duncan Quagmire _

👁👁👁👁👁

~Flashback~

_ Tears slid down their faces as the Baudalaires and living Quagmires read Duncan’s message. Beatrice was playing in the corner of the room, quietly because even she knew something wasn't quite right. Sunny was six, she understood everything that Duncan had said. She couldn’t stop crying. And neither could the rest. They’ve lost so much and Olaf had to take another good thing from them. _

__ ~End Flashback~

That exact memory ran through the heads of each person tied to the pole in Count Olaf’s tent. He’d caught them yet again and brought them to the Mortmain Mountains, far away from the city they were living in. 

Olaf was explaining what he had explained so many times before, how he was going to take their fortunes. “So all I have to do now is kill everyone, but Sunny.”

“Wait,” Quigley said, even though it probably wasn’t the smartest move. “If you kill both Isladora and I, then how will you get our fortune? Don’t you need one of us alive?”

“I need a Quagmire, not specifically you two,” was the Count’s response. 

Klaus quickly snapped back, “Yes well they’re the last Quagmire’s left, since you killed Duncan.”

Olaf’s face had dark humor all over it. “Oh, Duck’s not dead.”

While Violet muttered “Duncan” under her breath, Sunny, who was only nine, spoke. “That can’t be possible. There’s no way he’s still alive, he would have found us.”

Olaf retorted again, “You’re so innocent. Duck’s not dead and he made no move to find you either.”

“DUNCAN!” Violet suddenly shouted. “His name’s Duncan and he’s dead. He died three years ago by your hand. You took so many things away from me and he was just another. You despicable man.” She spoke with such hate that even Count Olaf was visibly shaken.

But he regained himself quickly, “You’re not wrong that I took him away from you. But he isn’t dead better yet-” he took a moment to call for his hench people to bring “Duck” in “He’s working for me.”

The Quagmires and Baudalarie’s couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw him. Duncan Quagmire, alive and maybe not so well. He wasn’t smiling and neither were any of the others. Count Olaf gave a cackle and walked out of the tent, leaving them alone.

For a moment no one said anything. Then Sunny cried. A stream of fresh tears ran down her face, accompanied by the sound of heartbreaking sobs. The same cries she gave when they got Duncan’s letter. Klaus and Violet reached for her, but their bounds wouldn’t let them go that far. Beatrice, only six years old, was closest, so she gave Sunny an awkward hug with no arms. It was still enough to soften her cries. 

As Sunny quietly cried into Beatrice’s shoulder, Klaus looked up at Duncan. “Is that really you?” was his blank-faced question.

Duncan mournfully nodded.

“Are you actually working for him?”

Duncan looked at the ground. Hot shame burst on his cheeks and all over his face. “Yes.”

Isladora was the first to speak minutes later. “How could you?” she asked, her face stained with silent tears. “You left us, let us think you were dead-”

“I had no choice Izzy,” Duncan interrupted.

“That’s not a valid reason,” Quigley seethed. “That doesn’t give you a pass for walking out on us.”

“That isn’t what I did-”

“You told me not to be a jerk. You became one instead.” Quigley was fuming mad.

“I couldn’t leave okay!” Duncan shot back. “They were going to find you and kill you. Everything I did was for all of you. I led them as far away from you as I could, and I paid for it. But I have no remorse. Because I care. Maybe too much.” He looked over at Sunny and Beatrice. “I love all of you so much. I won’t regret the time I spent with Olaf cause I managed not to do a single thing wrong. I never killed anyone. I never lit anything on fire. I kept their arson and kill count low by giving them fake leads. I led them away from you and every time they found out I had consequences. But I did it again and again because I cared too much.” He turned to Klaus and Quigley again. “Did you notice, for the past three years, Olaf’s troupe hasn’t so much as seen Sunny’s face? I did that.” Duncan turned to Isladora and Violet who were looking at the ground, but clearly listening. “I wrote that letter to give you closure. I never meant to hurt you. Everything I said in that letter I meant.”

“What do you mean by ‘closure’? You’re alive and you told us you were dead.” That was the first time Violet spoke since Duncan had walked in.

“I’m supposed to be dead. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The reason I never came back? I wasn’t planning on coming out alive.” Duncan’s response hurt but it was true to heart. He walked over and crouched by Sunny and Beatrice. “Look, I just wanted to keep you safe. I didn’t want to hurt you. I love you too much for that.” He held his arms open in a hug.

For a moment, Sunny only stared, contemplating whether or not his reasoning was good enough. But then she leaned in and let him hold her comfortingly. 

“Duncan,” Isladora spoke. He turned towards her, Sunny still in his arms. She motioned at his arm. “What happened?” His shirt’s long sleeves were slightly lifted, and scars ran all over his wrist and up.

He tugged the sleeve down. “I told you I paid,” was his only answer.

“What did they do to you?” Violet said softly.

Duncan looked at Beatrice and Sunny in his arms and shook his head. 

Duncan took out a pocket knife and Sunny out of her bonds. He did the same to the rest of them. After he gave them all hugs and said “I’m sorry,” more times than anyone could count, Quigley walked towards the door of the tent. 

“Where are you going?” Isladora asked.

Quigley’s face was steel. “No one hurts my brother and gets away with it. I’m going to give them what they deserve. The real question is, are you coming with me?”

A moment of careful consideration passed. Then they took off.

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N: I finished this at 11 P.M. I'm tired. I have a Science test tomorrow. I should sleep. BUT FIRST. My last one-shot was 970 words. This one is 1907. It took up 6 pages of a google doc. I'm really proud of this. Now goodnight.)
> 
> Edit: this was months ago and I'm editing this after impulse writing 4k words for only two scenes and I'm nowhere near done with the thing I'm working on so I'm even more proud of myself :)


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